Zdravko Milić
Zdravko Milić
Izložba /Exhibition / Austellung
Dantedrom
ZGC
The opening of the exhibition is 17.12.21 at 18:00 The exhibition is opened by curator Kristina Tamara Franić Kučiš
Zavičajna galerija Crnobori, December 17th to January 7th, 2022
ARSANOVA
Introduction to the exposition “DANTEDROM
Zdravko Milić
ZGC - Zavičajna galerija Crnobori, December 17th to January 7th, 2022
Kristina Tamara Franić Art historian and ethnologist
The exposition of the sublime reflexes “Dantedrom” represents just another extension of permanent agnostic inquiry by Milić about the origin of the humankind, its purpose, end, or survival. In order to deeply describe the relicts of existing convictions reaching into the mythological
or fantastic domain, Milić decided to present his own interpretation of medieval Dante’s Divine Comedy applying his known motifs of Istrian countryside, monoliths and pixilated Universe. His landscapes, as an important element of planned narration within the composition of the painting, are special, surreal and in this cycled turned into the coulisse, iconographic decorative object of the idea itself, bringing to us the outline of the mountain massive of Učka as strong and well-known symbol of Istria. The author transfers that Istrian mountain on the Moon, presented as an artificial satellite which hypnoses the humanity. Due to the use of purple, blue and grey in the reduced register, but with vivid impasto, his landscapes resemble mandalas taking us away from the known reality and opening the doors of introspection. They might seem broad and endless, but at the same time the provoke the spectator by its purpose – the drome – platform for questioning own origin and destiny, definite facing with the meaning and death, presenting the runaway of the soul to fly up or dive deeply down into different dimensions of existence. The drome is the author’s favourite extension for the titles of his earlier expositions. It is the Greek word for the way, and in the context of this exposition it represents the voyage of the human soul into Dante’s itinerary from hell to heaven. Another artist’s favourite motif – the monolith appears in this cycle, at the end, in the final scene of heaven (Dantedrom X) where purified human souls with angel’s wings and masks on their faces (in heaven the soul loses its identity) face the monoliths which in Milić’s vision present the portal or server of the Universe gathering entire knowledge, beginnings and endings of the physical existence of different civilisation ever lived as part of divine creation. Let’s remember the “2001 Space Odyssey” by Arthur Clarke and Stanley Kubrick where we can find the monolith as Promethean symbol of human intelligence. Modern android selfphones are in the shape of monolith as well and they also contain plenty of information. Are they new altars of the civilisation leading us into the world of endless information and did Clark, Kubrick and Milić in his earlier works anticipated that? I always try to point out that artists were the clearest anticipators of the forthcoming future and for me it’s not a hypothesis but the fact I reached studying the history of art. I’d like to point out another motive constantly present in Milić’s artwork. It is pixelization of the first plane of the painting which Milić uses to present his idea that the visible reality isn’t as it should be due to the multiplied, de liberately caused magnetic pollution which pollutes our ether and gives us the false illusion of the life we live, as Matrix.
Those are tiny lines of dots which break the visible coherency of the first plane of the painting, acquired by the artist being influenced by post conceptualism and arte povera movement he intensely regarded during his study at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice. Those dots and
lines give special dynamism to the painting and function as secret code letters understood only by the author himself, bringing to the spectator the open space for thinking about the message behind that Braille’s letters for the blind. Dante’s, as well as Milić’s way, begins with the description of hell (Dantedrom I). The painting is allegoric presentation of the world of suf fering of the soul caused by all evils of the world. Dante puts hell into the womb of the earth and divides it into nine circles going down in the form of concentric vortexes. Sinners, presented in precise and realistic way of the academic realism which opposes all other, almost abstract motifs of the painting, are settled in the circles depending on the complexity of their sins. Milić uses the same path as Dante, but in some of the circles he puts his favourite motive of the
monolith together with the people in agony of suffering. Purgatory is the place where we find people who didn’t deliberately sinned and due to
that who are not guilty for their sins. Here we can fin seven circles and the souls, after purification could rise to heaven.
(Dantedrom V and VI) Those scenes are sublime, mysterious and calm. Bluish figures of prone dreaming souls in the process of catharsis, between heaven and earth are being transformed into the pure souls. Foggy clouds of ether witness that transformation of the conscience which encourages us with the hope of eternal life. Heaven is the end of the road where one can find all the righteous and pure souls who deserved to see the God. In the Milić’s paintings the face the monolith organized into the circles which represent the path of the soul from one dimension of the existence into the other. In the picture of heaven (Dantedrom VII) there is a presentation of the soul at the top of the imaginary hill reminding Milić’s earlier motifs inspired by the surreal, endless desert scenery of Australia which he visited in the year 2000 and
which left deep impact on his work. In the middle of the desert there was the monolithic Ayers Rock contrasted to every logic of immense desert where it probably caused religious transformation of every visitor, including Milić. As an orbital inclination it treaded artist’s way of rethinking of the space gathering the symbols of special geological places which gathers different worlds and events. Surreal and orthodox in a special way, Milić’s art of post modernistic ideas, mastering the artistic skills, strongly excites the spectator, his heart and intellect. This is the art that questions and warns us that everything is not as it seems or as we apprehended at school. It is the art that inspired inner intimate introspection. There one could find scepticism, but the hope as well. And all those dimensions make it exciting and special
during this turbulent time when we create new scenarios for the future.
ZDRAVKO MILIĆ
BIOGRAPHY
Zdravko Milić was born in 1953. In Labin. He graduated painting at the Academy of
Fine Arts in Venice in 1977 in the class of Professor Carmelo Zotti. In 1988 he studied
mosaic at the Ecole Superiore des Beaux Arts in Paris. Milić is professor at the Academy
of Applied Arts, University of Rijeka. He is member oft he Croatian Association of Visual
Artists, both its respective Zagreb and Rijeka branch. NHe has had more that sixty exhibitions and dozens of group exhibitions in Croatia and abroad (Italy, Austria, Hungary, USA, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Australia, Slovenia, France…). He has also participated at more than a dozen sculpting symposium and has won numerous prizes.
His works can be found in many renowned national and international collections
AWARDS
1973. II. nagrada, Grisia ’73., Rovinj
1974. Diploma, IX. međunarodni ex tempore, Piran
1975. Otkupna nagrada, Grisia’75., Rovinj
1976. I. nagrada za slikarstvo i otkupna nagrada, Likovno stvaralaštvo mladih, Pula I. nagrada za slikarstvo, Labin, Ars Histriae V, Labin, Pula, Rovinj, Pazin, Osijek, Dubrovnik, Zagreb Diploma, Grisia ’76., Rovinj
1977. I. nagrada za slikarstvo, Likovno stvaralaštvo mladih, Pula, Pazin Otkupna nagrada, Likovno stvaralaštvo mladih, Pula, Pazin Nagradna stipendija, 61a mostra collettiva dell’opera Bevilacqua la Masa, Venezia, Italija Otkupna nagrada, 9. biennale mladih, Rijeka
Otkupna nagrada, Grisia ’77., Rovinj
1980. Diploma za slikarstvo, Ars Histriae VII, Pazin, Pula, Labin, Poreč, Rovinj Otkupna nagrada, VII. međunarodna izložba originalnog crteža, Rijeka II. nagrada za slikarstvo, Na Gorici, Crikvenica Otkupna nagrada, XX. Annale, Poreč, Pazin Otkupna nagrada, Grisia ’80., Rovinj Otkupna nagrada, I. međunarodni ex tempore, Lipica Otkupna nagrada, XV. međunarodni ex tempore, Piran
1981. I. nagrada za crtež, Likovno stvaralaštvo mladih, Pula, Pazin, Labin, Opatija, Buzet, Poreč
1982. Nagrada za crtež, II. internacionalni biennale festivala portreta, Tuzla Diploma, Grisia ’82., Rovinj I. nagrada, Umjetnost i more, Rijeka
1983. II. nagrada, I. međunarodni ex tempore, Opatija
1984. Diploma za slikarstvo, Ars Histriae IX, Rovinj, Pazin, Labin, Pula, Poreč
1985. Otkupna nagrada, IV edizione concorso internazionale di pittura “Luigi Serena”,
Montebelluna, Italija Otkupna nagrada, Izložba HDLUR, Rijeka
1986. Počasna nagrada za slikarstvo, Ars Histriae X, Pazin, Labin, Poreč, Pula, Rovinj
1989. Nagrada likovne kolonije, 12. zagrebačka izložba jugoslavenskog crteža, Zagreb
1993. I. nagrada na natječaju za projekt uređenje interijera “Croma” – (Sila, Bralić, Kamenar, Milić) – nije realizirano, Rijeka
1994. II. nagrada, IX. međunarodni ex-tempore Mandrać ’94., Volosko
1995. II. nagrada, Grisia ’95., Rovinj I. nagrada, II. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan
1996. Otkupna nagrada, Grisia ’96., Rovinj Otkupna nagrada, III. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan Nagrada za plakat “Karneval”, Turistička zajednica Opatija i Rijeka NAGRADE / AWARDS / PREMI 14
1997. Otkupna nagrada, Grisia ‘97., Rovinj Velika otkupna nagrada, Međunarodni Ex Tempore, Piran Nagrada Grada Grožnjana, IV. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan
1998. I. nagrada, Pul kaštela, Rijeka
Otkupna nagrada, V. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan
1999. Godišnja nagrada HDLU Rijeka, Crtež grafika, Rijeka I. nagrada, XIV. međunarodni slikarski natječaj Mandrać ’99., Volosko Otkupna nagrada, VI. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan
2000. Nagrada Zavičajnog muzeja, Grisia ’00., Rovinj
2001. Otkupna nagrada, Grisia ’01., Rovinj
2002. I. nagrada, VII. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan
2004. Nagrada Zavičajnog muzeja, Grisia ‘04., Rovinj
Otkupna nagrada, IX. međunarodni ex tempore, Grožnjan
2005. I. nagrada, 1. međunarodni Ex Tempore / Radionica “Severia Art Meeting”, Koper
2006. I. nagrada Grada Labina, X. labinski uzlet likovnosti, Labin
2008. Otkupna nagrada Nacionalne i sveučilišne knjižnice, 4. hrvatski trijenale crteža, Zagreb II. nagrada Zavičajnog muzeja Grada Rovinja, Likovna kolonija 2008, Rovinj
2009. Nagrada Zaklade Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Rijeka
2011. Nagrada HDLU za crtež na 65. Godišnjoj izložbi Crtež-grafika, Rijeka I. nagrada Grada Labina, XV. labinski uzlet likovnosti, Labin Nagrada Polinago Arte, I. edizione Premio internazionale “Polinago Arte”, Polinago
2012. Nagrada Zaklade Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Rijeka
2013. Nagrada Premio Arte Coseano, Coseano
2016. Nagrada na 5. Međunarodnom Festivalu likovnih umjetnosti, Digitalna podob & klasična slika u Kranju
2018. I. nagrada Grada Labina, X. labinski uzlet likovnosti, Labin
2019. Velika nagrada na 8. Hrvatskom triennalu akvarela, Slavonski Brod Nagrada Ivo Kalina, Rijeka
2021. Nagrada na 10. Međunarodnom Festivalu likovnih umjetnosti, Urbani pejsaž / Razumeti naturo u Kranju
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1973. Labin, Galerija Orlando
1977. Mestre, Italija, Galleria d’arte moderna Acquario Pula, Izložbeni salon Treviso, Italija, Galleria d’arte Borgo Rovinj, Zavičajni muzej Pazin, Etnografski muzej Istre Rijeka, Gradina Trsat
1978. Šibenik, Dom JNA Venezia, Italija, Galleria Bevilacqua la Masa
1979. Bassano del Grappa, Italija, Galleria d’arte moderna S. Marco Mestre, Italija, Galleria Fidesarte Ljubljana, Slovenija, Mestna galerija
1980. Poreč, Galerija Narodnog sveučilišta Buzet, Zavičajni muzej
1981. Rijeka, Moderna galerija, Mali salon Opatija, Galerija Slavija, Crteži Labin, Narodni muzej, Marina Blow-up
1983. Rijeka, Galerija Juraj Klović
1984. Sombor, Galerija Likovne jeseni
1985. Koper, Slovenija, Galerija Meduza Rovinj, Zavičajni muzej Poreč, Galerija Narodnog sveučilišta Rijeka, Galerija Jadroagent
1986. Ronjgi (Rijeka), Galerija pod brajdun
1987. Labin, Galerija Re
1988. Rijeka, Mali salon Treviso, Galleria D’arte Borgo Zagreb, Galerija Ulrich
1990. Labin, Galerija Gradske knjižnice Poreč, Galerija Narodnog sveučilišta
Rab, Galerija Knežev dvor
1991. Poreč, Galerija Narodnog sveučilišta Rovinj, Zavičajni muzej Pazin, Spomen dom
1992. Rijeka, Mali salon Pula, Galerija Vincent iz Kastva Buzet, Zavičajni muzej Labin, Narodni muzej Treviso, Italija, Galleria d’arte Sintesi
1994. Rijeka, Mali salon
1995. Pula, Galerija Vincent iz Kastva, Poreč, Galerija Narodnog sveučilišta Zagreb, Galerija Matice hrvatske
1996. Labin, KuC “Lamparna”
Zagreb, Salon galerije Karas
1997. Rijeka, Mali salon Rovinj, Zavičajni muzej Labin, Narodni muzej
1998. Rijeka, Galerija Klović Trieste, Art Gallery
1999. Rijeka, Gradina Trsat Labin, KuC Lamparna
2000. Vodnjan, Galerija Venier Labin, Galerija Downtown
2001. Poreč, Mala galerija
2002. Sarajevo, Sarajevske zime Poreč, Street art Novi Vinodolski, Galerija Turnac Zagreb, Galerija Klovićevi dvori – Gradec
2003. Kaštela, Muzej grada kaštela Brela, Izložbeni prostor Soline Pula, MMC Luka Rijeka, Mali salon,
2004. Labin, Galerija Alvona
2005. Labin, Gradska galerija Malinska, Galerija Sveti Nikola Pula, Galerija Mul
2006. Mestre, Italija,Galleria Minima Rijeka, Galerija Kortil
Motovun, Likovna galerija “Pet kula” Brtonigla, Likovna galerija “A. Rukavina”
2007. Zagreb, Dom HDLU, Galerija Bačva
2009. Pula, Galerija Milotić Rovinj, Zavičajni muzej
2010. Šmartno, Slovenija, Hiša kulture
2011. Osoppo, Italija, Galleria Polveriera Krk, Galerija Dekumanus Šikuti, Galerija Šikuti
2012. Rijeka, Galerija Kortil Split, Galerija Sveučilišne knjižnice Šibenik, Gradska knjižnica “Juraj Šižgorić”
Sinj, Galerija Galiotović Osoppo, Italija, Polveriera
2013. Crikvenica, Gradska Galerija
2014. Coseano, Italija, Sala Espositiva Comunale Brseč, Galerija Eugen K.
2015. Sacile, Italija, Palazzo Ragazzoni Opatija, Muzej turizma, Umjetnički paviljon “ Juraj Šporer “
2016. Opatija, Muzej turizma, Umjetnički paviljon “ Juraj Šporer “Umag, MMC POU-a “Ante Babić “
2017. Pula, MSUI, Radovi: 1981. – 2017. Rovinj, Zavičajni muzej, Sv. Toma Rijeka, MMSU, Radovi: 1981. – 2017. Matulji, Galerijica, Misija, Slatina, Zavičajni muzej Slatina
2018. Rab, Galerija Pik,
2019. Rijeka, Galerija APURI Labin, Gradska galerija
2020. Poreč, Galerija Zuccato,
2021. Cividale del Friuli, Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Battuti, Banjole, Zavičajne galerije Crnobori